Service Museums

Thursday 15th October 2015 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mark Lancaster)]

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State in the House of Lords, Earl Howe, has made the following written ministerial statement.

I am today announcing the start of a comprehensive review of the three service museums; the National Army Museum, RAF Museum and National Museum of the Royal Navy, all of which are executive non-departmental public bodies (ENDPB) of the Ministry of Defence. In this capacity, the service museums provide independent advice to the Secretary of State for Defence on the promotion and management of armed forces heritage matters.

This review is part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring, and improving, the accountability and effectiveness of public bodies on a regular basis. The review will be conducted in accordance with Government guidance for reviewing ENDPBs, and will focus on the core questions of the continuing need for the functions of the ENDPBs, their effectiveness and their governance arrangements. It will be carried out in an open and transparent way, and stakeholders will be given the opportunity to contribute their views.

I will inform the House of the outcome of the review when it is completed.

[HCWS248]